Retaining wall repairs in Yeovil

Postcodes: BA20, BA21
Population: about 50,000
Area: Somerset
Pricing region: South West

What should you know about the ground under Yeovil?

Yeovil is in Somerset and takes in postcode districts BA20, BA21. About 50,000 people live there. We also take enquiries from nearby Dorchester (18 miles), Bridgwater (21 miles) and Taunton (21 miles).

Somerset has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Somerset lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Somerset: Bath stone Georgian terraces, Victorian houses in Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, and post-war estates.

Methods for retaining wall repairs

Temporary support and reducing load

While a repair is designed and programmed, a dangerous wall may be propped, or soil and loads near the top removed to reduce the push. Moving parked cars or a shed back from the wall is sometimes the simplest first step.

Best for: Walls that are moving now and need making safe

Rebuilding on new footings

Where the whole wall is failing, it is replaced with a new retaining wall on a properly sized footing, with free-draining backfill, a membrane, weep holes and a drain at the base. Reinforced blockwork faced in brick or stone is common, so the wall matches its surroundings.

Best for: Walls failing along their length, or retaining significant height

From first photo to finished repair

Site assessment
On site we measure height and lean, check the drainage and the ground at the top and bottom, and look at access for digging out. Walls that support a drive, path or building, or retain more than a modest height, are referred to an engineer.
Engineer’s design
Where the wall needs it, an independent chartered structural engineer is appointed to design the repair or new wall, including footing, thickness, reinforcement and drainage. We can arrange this, and the design forms the basis of the quote.
Build and drain
The failing section is taken down, the soil supported in short lengths, and the footing cast. The wall is rebuilt with drainage behind it, backfilled with free-draining material, and building control inspects where the work needs it.

Symptoms that point to retaining wall repairs

Horizontal or stepped cracks running along the face of the wall
Water seeping through joints, or white salt staining, after rain
Wall leaning forward, or bulging out in the middle of its length

Guide prices for retaining wall repairs in Yeovil

Guide prices below are for homes in Yeovil, on South West rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.

Guide prices inc VAT on South West rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
Item	Guide price	Per
Minor repairs and drainage	£515 – £2,050	per wall
Structural repair or partial rebuild	£3,100 – £15,400	per wall
New retaining wall	£205 – £465	per m² of wall face

Rules for retaining wall repairs in England

In England, underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens a wall or foundation is building work under the Building Regulations (Part A, structure), so building control approves and inspects it. Like-for-like repairs often are not, and we tell you which applies before a price is agreed. Work to a party wall, or excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations, can also need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.

Frequently asked questions

What is the price of retaining wall repairs in Yeovil?

Guide prices for retaining wall repairs in Yeovil start from about £515 per wall, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.

Do you carry out retaining wall repairs in Yeovil?

Yes. We take enquiries from across Yeovil, including BA20, BA21, and from nearby places such as Dorchester and Bridgwater. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.

Does the ground around Yeovil cause cracking?

Somerset mixes Lias clays, Mercia Mudstone, limestone hills and the peat and alluvium of the Levels around Bridgwater, which can settle. The former Somerset coalfield around Radstock and Midsomer Norton left recorded workings. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.

Does home insurance cover a collapsed garden retaining wall?

Often not, because many policies exclude garden walls unless the house is damaged by the same event, and gradual failure is usually excluded. A collapse caused by landslip or a sudden escape of water may be treated differently. Check your schedule and tell your insurer before permanent repairs start.

How long does a retaining wall rebuild take?

Drainage and minor repairs usually take a day or two. Rebuilding a garden retaining wall on new footings typically takes one to three weeks, depending on its length, height, access for digging and any wait for the engineer’s design or inspections.

More repairs we carry out in Yeovil

Retaining wall repairs near Yeovil

If an engineer has already designed a new retaining wall for your Yeovil property, send the drawings and we will price building it.